Friday, February 15, 2008

So- Jane Fonda and Eve Ensler were on the Today Show yesteday to promote the new staging of Ensler's play "The Vagina Monologues". Apparently, Jane Fonda got herself into some hot water when she said a "slang word" on tv. The c-word (oh-- I'm gonna say it--Cunt). Now, when I first read the headline "Jane Fonda apologizes for using swear on national television" I thought she must have dropped the f-bomb or something. Nope. Meredith Vieira asked her how she became involved in the project, and she replied that she had been asked to perform a monologue in the play entitled "C-nt". Camera pans to Vieira who looks shocked, horrified, and then giggles like a schoolgirl. After a commerical break, Vieira tells the audience that Jane Fonda apologizes for her mistake, and so does the Today show.

Bull**** Fonda apologized. What does she really have to apologize about? She wasn't using it against someone, as a swear, or with the intent to offend. She was simply explaining what the piece was entitled. Can't take a controversial word with your morning coffee? Put on your big girl pants and deal with it. I doubt there would be such an outcry if there was a play called "The Penis Monologues" and someone accidentally talked about their piece, entitled "Dick".

The thing that really gets me are the comments people are making around the controversy. "Well, that's what you get for having a segment on that kind of show (The Vagina Monologues)!"While I might see the reasoning behind this-- Today knew Fonda would talk about her work-- I just don't see why people are so offended by this play's title. Since when did "Vagina" become a dirty word? From what I learned in health class, that's the correct name for it. For those who say the plays content is offensive I ask "Have you seen the play"? So much of it is not about purely sex, rather it's about why there is such a stigma around women and their vaginas, and the violence directed at women because we are thought to be "the weaker sex". Some say it's like porn. Please, go see the play, listen to the piece called "My Vagina Was My Village" and then tell me you think it's like porn. Please.

It's a body part. It's a slang word for that body part. Get over it.

P.S. I promise this blog isn't turning into a rant page, happy stuff is sure to come soon!

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Wow. I never really thought I'd use my blog as a place to rant...and then this happened.

My mom came down to visit today, and one of the places we stopped was Marshall's in search of a jacket suitable for DC weather ( no real need for my North Face down here!!). I went to the coat section and I noticed a woman trying on a really nice trench with a fuller cut. I looked for the same one on the racks, but apparently she had the only one. No problem, and I went to find my mom.

Ten minutes later I went back to the coat section and the jacket was back on the rack. I put it on, liked it but decided it wasn't as functional as I would like and started to undo the tie. The same woman who tried it on comes over. I figured she was coming back for the coat so I just smiled and continued to undo the buttons to give it to her. She walks up to me, a little too close for comfort, and says in broken English "Oh....that looks very nice on you." "Thanks" I say, taking it off "You can take it" she then goes "Oh...no no...yes it looks very nice but maybe it exaggerates your big butt."

!!!!!!!!!!!WHAAAAT??!?!?!?!? Ok, I know I have a booty, but it's a SIZE 2 booty for goodness sake. I'm small. Small enough that I had to wait for this beebee to put the coat back on the rack because it was the only small-sized jacket left in the whole lot. I looked at her in disbelief, dropped the coat on a display next to me and walked away before I took her size 2 booty (or lack thereof) down. I had to leave the store completely five minutes later when I saw her in line at the checkout with the coat in hand!

It's not so much that I felt insulted that she commented on my "big butt"; it's the fact she commented at all. I can't count the number of times I have seen women try on completely unflattering clothes at stores but I don't give my opinion. We're adults-- if an stranger is going to make a fashion blunder let them.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

I miss the North End. I've been saying this since I moved out of my shoebox of an apartment there to another shoebox in Somerville this past summer. But, it's worse now that I can't take a bus and a T ride and be there within the half hour. To get there now I'd have to take a PLANE (or a nine hour bus ride, depending on finances).

I miss all of the obvious stuff, like the charming little bakeries and restaurants, and the accordian player who I am convinced only knows the theme to "The Godfather". I miss old paesan's sitting in lawnchairs on the street to reserve their buddy's parking spot. I miss my old apartment that my mom called "Pisa" because of the slanting floor. Sometimes, when I'm really nostalgic, I even miss those damn tourists that seem to descend on the neighborhood between memorial and labor day. (Note: For those of you that have lived in the neighborhood, you know how crazy I am for missing this.)

More than all that, I am nostalgic for the people I met while living there. The laundromat owner's wife and the quick-tempered Romano chef. Camille at the bank who was always so sweet and who's last name means "With the angels". I miss my old North End friends who welcomed me into their neighborhood-- a sleepy-eyed Colombian who's funny walk rivals my own, a Persian prince who taught me the importance of slowing down and "chillin'" , and a writer who's knowledge and passion for wine left me stumbling back to my apartment on more than one occasion. I miss my old roommate (Scal!) and decorating our first apartment. I miss my Companion (as he would like to always be referred to) and lazy sunday mornings reading the paper and drinking coffee with him at Beanstock. Sigh.

I feel my time there is like an old home video now. It sits on a shelf in my brain and every now and then I put it in the vcr, for old time's sake. Today is one of those days where I can't help but push the rewind button and watch it over and over until I can recite the lines by heart.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

So since one of my "interests" is cupcakes and I consider myself to be a conoisseur of these little pieces of heaven, I feel it is my duty to post on the subject.

In the few years I lived in MA I sampled quite a few cupcakes, from Bova's (good at 2 am after a night out, tolerable any other time) to Lulu's (the red velvet cupcake is worth a special trip).

One day while in Davis Square I noticed a bakery called Kickass Cupcakes. My first thought was "That's a big name to live up to"...my second thought "OMG I need it all right now". Alas, it was closed, and would be every time I had time to stop by (normally very early or very late...their store hours are actually pretty long, I just always missed by 1/2 hour or so). Finally, on the night before I moved, the stars aligned and the store was open. For sampling my companion and I chose a Mojito cupcake, the Lucky Cupcake (lemon) and a twice baked reeses pieces confection. We almost ordered a deep fried cupcake (!!!) but...let's not get ridiculous.

The verdict: In the words of the companion, also an expert in cupcakes, "...not so kickass"! I was so let down! You'd think with the name, and the cool packaging, and the unique choices I'd be satisfied, at least. The mojito cupcake's tangy-ness left a sour aftertaste and the Lucky cupcake was heavy and almost dough-y. The twice baked "thing" seemed more like a stale cookie with candy pieces slapped on it. Sad.

After all this, I'm still not ready to give up on Kickass Cupcakes . I hold out hope that next time I get to Somerville I'll find that I must have visited on an off day and that the cupcakes are, in fact, kickass.

I have my own blog? Gasp. I swore I would never create one of these but a perfect storm of new experiences, a new city, and mild work-day boredom have inspired me to start one.

Let me just start by saying it's February 6th and currently 71 degrees out. On days like today I wonder what on earth posessed me to stay in New England for so long! People in the office are complaining that it might rain later but I tell you what-- I'd take a thunderstorm over cold, slushy, "wintery mix" any day.

Second, here's what I've observed of DC: People always say its a lot like Boston but to me it couldn't be more different. Where Boston is the dirty and in-your-face junkie that hangs outside the 7-11 near Park St., DC is the clean cut, mild-mannered businesswoman in the Mercedes that lets you cross the street _even when she has the green light_. Of course every now and then I'm nostalgic for the thick Southie accents or a Dunkin' Donuts coffee-- but it's a refreshing change to have strangers say "Good Morning"...and SMILE! I had to laugh a little the other day when a car passing beeped ( a beep not a honk) and the man standing next to me said in the most serene, mild mannered tone "Oh, shut the fuck up". Everything is just so different!

We're gearing up for Japan Fest here at the center and there is a robot in the lobby that is way too realistic for my liking . More on that later.S